In a tense Game 7, Atlanta and Philadelphia chased each other for 48 minutes to join Milwaukee in the Conference final. Too imprecise and clumsy, the Sixers cracked despite the advantage of playing this last game at home, at the Wells Fargo Center, and leave once once more with the disillusionment of an unfinished course. Conversely, the Hawks continue their crazy epic, started in March 2021 with the change of coach and the arrival of Nate McMillan.
Atlanta does without a great Trae Young
The major data of the meeting should have allowed Philadelphia to win. The Hawks point guard delivered his worst shooting performance (5/23 including 2/11 with three points) since the start of the series. But despite his abysmal awkwardness, Trae Young responded at the right time. In the fourth quarter, he scored 10 of his 21 points, including a saving three-point shot to put Doc Rivers’ men at six points (93-97), less than three minutes from the end.
His floaters and his altruism at the end of the game (10 assists in total) notably allowed the Hawks to remain in the lead during most of the last quarter. Because if Young had difficulties with his shot, Kevin Huerter has turned into an X factor for his team. With 27 points at 10/18 winning and 7 rebounds, the full-back wreaked havoc around the Sixers’ racquet, taking just 4 three-pointers in the game. Atlanta also took advantage of the many mistakes made by their opponent.
Philadelphia weighed down by lost balloons
In an extremely important game for the rest of its journey, Philadelphia conceded 17 losses, including 8 from leader Joel Embiid. A statistic spoiling the ascendancy taken by the Sixers in the rebound sector (48 to 44) in particular. Behind the lost balls, Philadelphia was also too unruly (28 fouls once morest 23 for Atlanta) and allowed the Hawks to convert 24 free throws on 32 attempts.
And despite a pale offensive copy delivered by Ben Simmons (5 points in 4 shots attempted, 8 rebounds, 13 assists), the Sixers were still very close to winning 45 seconds from the buzzer. But as a symbol, and with Philadelphia four points behind Atlanta, Joel Embiid lost his eighth ball due to a crafty interception from Danilo Gallinari. On the counter-attack, the Italian flew to the opposing basket to fold the meeting, and give the Hawks six points.
The Sixers still at the foot of the conference final
For their fourth consecutive participation in the play-offs, the Sixers have still not found the recipe to reach the Conference final, despite the change of coach made last summer with the arrival of Doc Rivers, titled with Boston in 2008. Favorites before the series, the Sixers can have regrets on their first game, where they were completely absent in the first half, and on Game 5 where Philadelphia led by 26 points at the start of the third quarter. time.
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